The Martin Harley Band are a vibrant eclectic acoustic front porch style folk’n’roots band with an exhilarating and original sound.  They blend three part harmonies over a backdrop of stunning finger style and slide guitar, acoustic bass and brush drums. Homemade instruments grace the stage and add to the rootsy, diverse nature of the sound. 

The Surrey based trio formed in early 2002, and perform original compositions, ‘Songwriting what is staggeringly good’ (Annabel’s diaries, Kashmir Club) alongside the odd daring cover, and released their self-titled debut album in 2015, “..this album is a rare achievement” Blues Matters. 

Their second album, called ‘Money Don’t Matter’ was released to critical acclaim on August 1^st 2005 and has so far sold over 1000 copies.

The band’s sound is built around Martin’s guitar playing, a style that forcefully throws the rule book out the window, and ‘..gives you that spine tingling feeling of “Oh Yeah”.’ (modmusic.co.uk)  and ‘..a voice that engulfs the room and seems to come, as the best voices do, from somewhere else’ (Porter Cellar Bar Review), 

Adam Wolters’ intense and animated playing of a homemade 2 string, fretless bass and Pete Swatton with inspired work on a cocktail drumkit complete the line up. They’ve played numerous festivals, appeared on Sky One & Channel 4, and 2005 has seen them support Little Toby Walker, Nine Below Zero, Chas’n’Dave, Omar & the Howlers, Papa George &  Lisa Mills amongst others.  They’ve also shared the bill with James Blunt, Donovan Frankenreiter, the Happy Mondays, the Magic Numbers and the Beautiful Girls.

The band’s live performances are an energy-filled, dynamic, vibrant celebration of music that capture the integrity of folk & blues whilst imbuing them with freshness all their own,  an ‘Acoustic phenomenon…” (Surrey Advertiser, What’s On?)

“If ‘quiet is the new loud’, these guys turn it up to eleven” Phil Jackson, BBC SCRadio  

“Stunning, absolutely stunning” Nonny James, BBC Radio Hereford & Worcs